Vertically adjustable barrel truck



A 13,1948; J. B. ROBINS 2,439,531v

' vnnncmrmws'maw BARREL 'mucx Filed April 22, 1946 on; s. Roam;

Patented Apr. 13, 1948 OFFICE VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE BARREL TRUCK Jack B. Robins. Colorado Springs, 0010., assignor to Aircraft Mechanics Ina, Colorado 0010., a corporation of Colorado pr nts,

Application April 22, 1948, Serial No. 663,917 1 Claim. (Cl. 28H!) This invention relates to improvements in barrel trucks and has reference more particularly to a truck designed for use in transporting oil and gasoline barrels over the paved surface of air landing fields.

In connection with aviation and also in many other places, it is necessary to transport barrels filled with a liquid, as, for example, oil or gasoline, and to put these in a position where the liquid may be conveniently withdrawn.

It is the object of this invention to produce a truck for the purpose above described, which shall beprovided with two rubber tired wheels so mounted that they may be brought into or out of operative position and which may be latched in operative position.

Another object of the invention is to produce a truck of the kind described in which the wheels shall be mounted in such a manner that during the loading and the unloading of the truck they will be in a position where they will not interfere with the operation and which can quickly and readily be placed inoperative position when necessary or desirable.

A further object of the invention is to produce a barrel truck of such a design that it can be constructed almost entirely of pipe so as to simplify the construction, decrease the cost of manufacture and improve the appearance.

The above and any other objects that may become apparent as the description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an ar rangement of parts that will now be described in detail and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated in itspreferred form, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the truck in one of its positions and showing a barrel in position thereon outlined in broken lines;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary center section taken on line 2-2, Figure 3; and

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation lookin through plane 3-8, Figure 2.

In the drawing reference numeral I designates a supporting surface. The truck comprises two substantially identical frames, each having a straight top member 8 that terminates at one end in an arcuate portion 1 extending from points to points 9. From point 9 to point it, there is a straight section Ii, which terminates in a short curve l2. From point it to point It, thereis a straight section that forms the base or bottom and from point II to point it the frame member is curved forming rockers that terminate in a .flattened wedge portion i I which serve to support the end of a barrel like that shown by broken lines and indicated by reference numeral II. An

arcu-ate frame or spacer member it connects the making the entire frame a unitary structure.

. end of latching member 82 has a notch Ii that is Welded to struts 2! and 20 are plates 2] which form bearings for a tubular shaft 22. Extendin downwardly from shaft 22 are two straight members 23 that have their lower ends welded to an axle 34. A diagonal brace connects the two vertical members 32 in the manner shown in Figure 3. Mounted on the ends of axle 24 are two rubber tired wheels 3|. The wheels are of a type quite extensively employed in connection with small trucks and are each provided with a hub II that in turn is provided with an antifriction bearing. The wheels are attached to the ends of axle It in the manner common in such constructions.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 2, it will be seen that the frame carrying the axle 34 and the wheels 38 is mounted to pivot about the axis of shaft 32 and that the wheels are latched in position by means of a pivoted latch member 38 that is mounted for rocking movement about pivot 29 which extends through two spaced lugs 40 welded to transverse member 28. The free adapted to receive the axle 24 shown in Figure 2.

- When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2. the wheels project beyond the outer periphery of the frame and the truck can therefore be moved, being in part supported by the wheels and in part supported by the hands of the operator which engage the curved portions 1 that serve as handles.

When the truck and barrel are brought to the position where they are to remain, the frame is tilted clockwise, when viewed as in Figure 1, until it rests on the straight bottom portions ll. If

I the barrel is .to be deposited on surface 5, the

frame is first brought to rest on the bottom portions ll and the wheel frame released by raising the latch member 3|. The wheels are now free to swing about the pivot 82. when the frame is tilted forwardly, or in a clockwise direction, when viewed; as in Figures 1 and 2, it will rock on the curved portions between points II and i8. when the barrel is brought into a position where the bottom edge rests on the surface, the supporting wedge points l1 are withdrawn and the truck can then be readily separated from the barrel.

Attention is called to the two hooks 42 that are positioned to engage the flange of a metal oil barrel. In attaching the truck to the barrel, the hooks are first positioned over the flange and thereafter the supporting points H are inserted underneath, whereupon the truck can be rocked in a clockwise direction until it rests on flat bottom portions H5. The wheel frame is now brought into' operative position and latched,

after which the truck with its barrel can be transported to any desired location.

This invention is directed more particularly to the specific and the means by which it is latched and released during the operation.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new. is:

A barrel truck comprising two spaced'pai'allel frames each having a long straight top and a shorter base interconnected at their ends by outwardly curved sections, the forward curved sections forming rockers, the upper ends of the rockers extending above the tops to form supports for a barrel, at least two downwardly curved spacer bars connecting the top sections and at least one spacer bar joining the bottom sections, an axle assembly pivoted for movement arrangement of the wheel frame wheels on the ends of about an axis perpendicular to the planes of the frames, positioned near the top of the frames, the axle, the relationship of the parts. being such that the peripheries of the wheels will intersect the rockers when turned about the axis of the shaft, and means for latching the axle and wheel assembly in a position in which the peripheries of the wheels are outside of the rockers, said means comprising two spaced lugs projecting upwardly from the transverse frame member that connects the front curved sections of the frames, a latching lever positioned between the lugs, a pivot extending through the lugs andthrough the lever, the front end of the latching-lever being provided on its underside with a notch for receiving the axle of the pivoted axle assembly, the latching member extending rearwardly from the pivot in position to be engaged to unlatch the wheel assembly, the wheel and axle assembly when unlatched being mov-,

able into a position'in which the peripheries of the wheels are entirely inside of the rockers.

J. B. ROBINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNIT D STATES PATENTS Date Number Name 1). 128,819 Gambs s A118. 12, 1941 1,137,993 McCarthy May 4, 1915 1,261,184 Taylor, Jr. Apr. 2, 1918 1,790,319 Rail et a1. Jan. 27, 1931 2,029,656

' Dawson Feb; 4,v 1936 

